Narrandera man Graham Lonnie could be described as the man behind the power of the Narrandera Shire Council mayor’s right arm.

Mr Lonnie made the gavel that the mayor, Councillor Neville Kschenka, relies on during council meetings to keep the meetings flowing smoothly and free of disruption.

A gavel is a small ceremonial mallet, commonly used as a symbol of authority, made of hardwood, usually featuring a handle and struck against an anvil, also made of a hardwood.

Its most common use is to help allow meetings to remain calm and orderly.

“As mayor of Narrandera Shire Council, I chair ordinary, extraordinary and some committee meetings of council,” Cr Kschenka said.

“As the elected chair, it is my role to call these meetings to order and sometimes this is done by using the gavel, tapping the wooden mallet on its base.

“It is also used if order needs to be maintained, allowing councillors or committee members the opportunity to speak either for or against items open for discussion in the meeting’s agenda.”

Mr Lonnie said that the gavel and anvil, currently in use at the local council chambers, were originally made for the then mayor Des Edwards in 1995.

“I knew the mayor Des Edwards at the time as I was involved in a committee with council,” Mr Lonnie said.

“I looked at the gavel they had then and it was just a piece of wood.

“At the time the old river bridge was being pulled down and there was loads of wood, mostly tallow and redgum from it, piled up at the Charles Sturt Memorial.

“I made another one for Probus for the secretary, but their house was broken into and the gavel was stolen along with a lot of other things.”

The mayor’s gavel was made from redgum and the anvil was formed with tallow.

Mr Lonnie said he had a few attempts at creating the gavel before he perfected the manufacturing process.

“When I did make it, I was just starting off as a young woodturner in those days and I made a couple before, to see how they would go, but they weren’t just quite right,” he said.

“I could see in my mind what I was wanting to make; I didn't have a plan or a template, it was just off the cuff so to speak.

“By the time I finished polishing it, it only took about four or five hours to make.

“The mayor was chuffed with it, he was impressed.”

Mr Lonnie realises the key role a gavel plays in the council chambers.

“The mayor picks up that gavel and when he cracks it down, it stifles conversation and gets people’s attention,” he said.

“It sort of keeps everybody in line.

“It’s an integral part of the mayor's duties.”

Although the gavel appears to be in pristine condition, Cr Kschenka need not worry if a replacement gavel is needed.

“If that one they have wears out, I’ll make them another one if they want,” Mr Lonnie said.